Plans for long-term human activity on the moon, on Mars, and elsewhere in the solar system go through the study of surface caves. These caves may serve as a protected base and possibly even a water source.


One of the areas at the forefront of planetary research is the study of caves on planets and moons, due to the far-reaching implications for future human settlement and the possibility of extraterrestrial life forms.
Video: Caves on other bodies in thesolar system, in particular Mars and The moon of the Earth. Caves on Mars and the MoonCave openings have been observed in satellite images on the moon and Mars. Depressions that appear to be collapsing into interior space have also been observed on other planets and moons, asteroids, and even comets. 
The moon's surface and Mars' environment is hostile to life due to its exposure to intense radiation from space, meteorite impact, and a large amplitude of temperatures. Suppose the observed cave openings do expand into underground sp…